For Immediate Release
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017
NSIC Media Relations
PDF Release

NSIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
#14 Aaron Lien  (F, 6-4, Sr.,  Moorhead, Minn.  / Moorhead HS)
Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Led MSUM to second NSIC overall title in three years and fourth straight NSIC north title
- Fifth in the NSIC in scoring (18.5)
- Shot 57 percent from the field in NSIC games, eighth-best in NSIC
- Third in free-throw percentage (.891)
- Scored in double figures in 18 of 22 conference games
- Three-time NSIC North Player of the Week
- Scored 30 points or more three times in NSIC play

NSIC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
#24 Jordan Hay (C, 6-6, Sr., Stanwood, Iowa. / North Cedar HS)
Upper Iowa University
- Started all 22 conference games averaging 6.2 rebounds to go along with 1.4 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game
- Ranked fourth in the NSIC in total blocks (31) and total steals (32)
- Recorded at least one block in 17 of the 22 NSIC games, totaling at least 3 blocks on four separate occasions
- Tallied at least one steal in 15 league games, swiping at least 3 in four different games
- Pulled down 94 defensive rebounds, and totaled at least 7 boards in 8 different NSIC games
- Totaled a new career-high with 13 rebounds against SMSU and pulled down 10 more against WSC for his two highest totals of the season
- Tallied four blocks and four steals against Winona State, and reached a career-high 5 steals against Bemidji State
- Averaged 13.0 points per game, shooting 56.7% from the field
- Named NSIC South Division Player of the Week in early December after posting 34 points against Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State
- Connected on a career-best 26 points twice this season at SMSU and at home against MSU
 
NSIC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
#0 Harrison Cleary  (G, 6-1, Fr., Oak Creek, Wis.  / Oak Creek HS)
University of Minnesota Crookston
- Was second in the NSIC in scoring during the regular-season with 22.0 points per game
- Tallied the highest individual scoring performance in the NSIC with a school-record 42 points versus Minnesota State Jan. 27
- Was twice named NSIC North Player of the Week
- Set the UMC single-season records for points (617) and field goals (222), both marks surpassed Joe Hasz’s marks from the 2001-02 season
- Had five games with 30 or more points on the season
- Averaged 22.4 points per game in conference on the season
- Shot 47.6 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from beyond the arc and 84.5 percent from the charity stripe
- Averaged 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game

NSIC NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
#35 Logan Doyle (F/C, 6-8, Jr., Alexandria, Minn. / Jefferson  HS / SDSU)
Northern State University
- Appeared in all 28 games, starting the final 14 of the regular season
- Averaging 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game
- Recorded nine double-double this season
- Scored a career high 25 points versus Minot State on Jan. 7
- Notched a career high 20 rebounds versus Minnesota Crookston on Feb. 10
- Sits second in the league in offensive rebounds (2.7) and blocked shots (2.0)
- Sits third in the league in rebounding averaging 9.3 per game

NSIC Coach of the Year
Brad Bigler - Southwest Minnesota State University
- Led SMSU to the program’s first NSIC South Division championship
- SMSU’s 22 victories this season is the third highest in team history
- SMSU’s 17 NSIC victories ties the school record for most in one season
- SMSU has won a school record 12 true road games this season
- Bigler is in his eighth season as head coach and has compiled an overall record of 130-100, ranking second in team history for wins
- The 2012-13 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to five winning seasons (including this season), including one 20-plus win season and a pair of 19-win seasons
- In 2011-12, SMSU won 19 games, captured the NSIC tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history
- SMSU’s 11th head coach, Bigler spent six seasons (2003-09) as an assistant coach at SMSU, including the last three as associate head coach

2016-17 NSIC Men’s Basketball All-Conference Teams

First Team	Name	Pos	Ht.	Year	School	Hometown
23	Jordan Spencer	PG	6’2	Jr.	Augustana	Milton Keynes England
10	Bryan Jefferson	F	6’7	Sr.	University of Mary	Aurora, Ill.
10	Jon Fuqua	F	6’5	Sr.	Minnesota State	Maywood, Ill.
3	Tanner Kretchman	PG	6’0	Jr.	MSU Moorhead	Fargo, N.D.
14	Aaron Lien	F	6’4	Sr.	MSU Moorhead	Moorhead, Minn.
24	Tyler Rudolph	F	6’6	Jr.	Minot State	Bismarck, N.D.
35	Logan Doyle	F/C	6’8	Jr.	Northern State	Alexandria, Minn.
3	Ryan Bruggeman	PG	6’0	So.	SMSU	Pelican Rapids, Minn.
20	Gage Davis	G/F	6’4	So.	St. Cloud State	Bollingbrook, Ill.
3	Carson Parker	G	6’3	Jr.	Upper Iowa	New Hartford, Iowa
Second Team	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Yr.	School	Hometown
4	Mike Busack	F	6’6	Sr.	Augustana	Belview, Minn.
0	Harrison Cleary	G	6’1	Fr.	Minnesota Crookston	Oak Creek, Wis.
22	Joey Witthus	F	6’6	So.	Minnesota State	Chanhassen, Minn.
3	Mack Arvidson	G	6’2	Sr.	Northern State	Grand Forks, N.D.
0	Ian Smith	PG	5’10	So.	Northern State	Champlin Park, Minn.
5	Ayob Ayob	F	6’6	Sr.	MSU Moorhead	Winnipeg, Canada
22	Scottie Stone	G	6’4	Sr.	St. Cloud State	Melrose, Minn.
24	Jordan Hay	C	6’6	Sr.	Upper Iowa	Stanwood, Iowa
1	Kendall Jacks	F	6’4	So.	Wayne State	Bettendorf, Iowa
11	Riley Bambenek	F	6’5	Sr .	Winona State	Trempealeau, Wis.